Reproduction, pregnancy and the fetus
Male and female physiology, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation and the fetal circulation.
23 pages
Exam priority: high
- Fetal circulation and the transition at birthMechanism · Before birth the placenta does the work of the lungs, so blood bypasses them through three…
- Maternal physiological changes in pregnancyRegulation · In pregnancy the mother's blood volume, heart output, breathing and kidneys all step up to feed…
- The male gonadal axis and spermatogenesisRegulation · The brain sends pulsed signals to the testes, which make testosterone and, over about two and a…
- The menstrual cycle: ovary and endometriumRegulation · About once a month the ovary ripens an egg and the uterine lining thickens; if no pregnancy…
Exam priority: medium
- Actions of estrogen and progesteroneMechanism · Estrogen builds and grows female tissues and protects bone; progesterone prepares the uterus for…
- Fertilization and implantationMechanism · A sperm meets the egg in the fallopian tube; the fertilized egg divides, travels to the uterus…
- Fetal metabolism and the newborn's nutritional needsConcept · The fetus runs on maternal glucose and stores fat, glycogen, iron and calcium late in pregnancy
- LactationRegulation · After birth prolactin makes the breast produce milk and oxytocin squeezes it out when the baby…
- Maternal hormones, metabolism and nutrition in pregnancyRegulation · Pregnancy resets the mother's glands and metabolism to feed the fetus: more thyroid, cortisol…
- MenopauseRegulation · Menopause is the end of periods when the ovaries run out of follicles; estrogen falls and the…
- Newborn physiology and fetal maturationConcept · At birth the baby must breathe, keep warm, feed and clear bilirubin on its own; the lungs, liver…
- Oogenesis, follicles and ovulationMechanism · Girls are born with all their eggs, paused halfway through division; each month one of them…
- Parturition: onset and uterine contractionRegulation · At term the quiet uterus switches on: hormones and stretch make it contract more and more…
- Placental exchange: oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and drugsMechanism · The fetus gets oxygen at low pressure because its hemoglobin grabs O₂ more tightly; most small…
- PubertyRegulation · Puberty begins when the brain restarts pulses of GnRH; the gonads wake up and the body matures…
- Sperm maturation, semen and semen analysisMeasurement · Sperm made in the testis learn to swim in the epididymis; glands add fluid that feeds and…
- Testosterone and its actionsMechanism · Testosterone builds male body features, muscle and sperm; part of it is turned into a stronger…
- The first breath: starting breathing at birth and birth asphyxiaMechanism · Before birth the lungs are full of fluid and the fetus only practises breathing
- The placenta and pregnancy hormonesConcept · The placenta passes oxygen and food to the baby and works as a hormone gland that keeps the…
For completeness
- Erection and ejaculationMechanism · Erection is a blood-flow event controlled by parasympathetic nerves and nitric oxide…
- Labor pain pathways and the puerperiumConcept · Early labor pain comes from the uterus and cervix (T10–L1); pushing-stage pain from the birth…
- Sex determination and differentiationConcept · A gene on the Y chromosome turns the early gonad into a testis; its hormones then build the male…
- The female sexual responseMechanism · Arousal fills the clitoris and vaginal walls with blood and makes the vagina moist; orgasm is a…
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Educational physiology content; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. Values are approximate references. No doses are given.
Representative model, for educational purposes only.